Redemption
by lunafrak
Summary: Ansem looked as Sora approached with his friends in tow. His heart full of remorse, he knew the Key-Bearer was the only one capable of ending the chaos: "Sora, the rest is up to you. And Roxas, I doubt you can hear me, but... I am sorry." ONE-SHOT A/U


"Xehanort... Foolish apprentice of a foolish man."

Ansem the Wise shook his head, his back turned to the silver-haired man that he had once proudly called his 'foremost apprentice', "You have surpassed nothing. Only proved how little we both know."

Behind him, the man known as Xemnas watched indifferently. Standing tall, he was unyielding to the cold words of the man that had taken him under his wing so long ago.

"We may profess to know the Heart, but it's essence is beyond our reach."

Ansem kept his gaze on the green ribbon of light that shot from the device that he'd created to digitally seal away Kingdom Hearts. It had begun to spark and sputter, which disturbed Ansem as he tried to keep the encoder steady.

Surrounding him were the warriors that he could call much braver than himself. Next to him stood the small King Mickey, but despite his tiny size, Ansem himself felt diminished standing next to him. He'd heard of the King's efforts against the Heartless and Organization XIII. Efforts that had been out of the love of his Kingdom and the inhabitants of all the worlds.

What was Ansem's contribution to the fight against their worldwide threats? Hiding in the Darkness, using the Keyblade Master for his own greedy revenge...

Riku's transformation...

Ansem ignored the pain in his heart each time his eyes would land on Sora or Kairi.

"We're both ignorant... as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid any world you try to create," Ansem turned back to stare at Xemnas with each shred of pity he could offer. Pity that wasn't already directed towards himself, "any world of yours would be an empire of ignorance!"

Xemnas stared on. His cold, orange eyes focused upon Ansem, not able to conjure up any authentic look of hate.

Instead, he contracted his muscles to form a wonderfully pulled-off smile.

"Ignorant, am I? Unlike you, I know how to attain my goals, 'Master'." He sneered, his voice was like a knife through the cold air of The World That Never Was, "How far are you willing to stop me, '_master_'? Try an invention that isn't even proven to work properly?"

Another vocal stab to Ansem's pride caused the older man to close his eyes tightly.

"Tell me how far you're willing to go to stop me." Xemnas growled.

"That's enough, Xemnas!" Came the brave voice of Sora, the young Keyblade Master. He balled his fist in a fury at the Superior Nobody, "All that matters is that you're not going anywhere! Your minions are all dust!"

Xemnas looked to Sora, his gaze moving slowly, as though oozing its way to the fifteen-year-old.

"And who will stop me? My plan is already in motion. Kingdom Hearts is ready for me."

"Not if Ansem can seal it away!" Sora proclaimed. Xemnas chuckled as Ansem turned to look at Sora, feeling a strange lifting in his heart at a positive mention of his name.

"But what good will that do without a hero to finish the job?" Xemnas asked.

"SORA!" Ansem cried, fearing what was about to happen. With a single, fluid motion, Xemnas jumped forward to extend his arm and hand towards Sora. From his fingers erupted a single, winding thread of thorns. As the warriors surrounding Sora attempted to pull the Keyblade Master to safety, it was Ansem himself that pushed the boy and an approaching Kairi out of harm's way as the black barbed wire forced itself through Ansem's abdomen. Sora watched in horror as the golden-haired sage was forced to the ground, screaming in pain as red blood misted at the entry point of the wound.

Xemnas' smile became wider and more twisted as he watched Ansem the Wise fall to the cold floor of the castle, his body thudding almost melodically. As Ansem landed, Sora turned to face Xemnas, his allies doing the same. With a scream of Ansem's name from King Mickey, an enraged Sora charged at Xemnas, Keyblade reared with Kairi, Riku, Donald and Goofy eagerly backing him up. Xemnas bared his teeth in a devilish grin and he aimed yet another blast of energy at the device that Ansem had left unmanned. With a flick of his wrist, another barrage of Dark Thorns rammed into the Encoder and destroyed it on sight. Sora did his best not to be distracted by the sight of the explosion as he continued his advance upon Xemnas. From behind him, Donald stopped and aimed his wand at the escaping green band of light making its way towards the great moon known as Kingdom Hearts. With a swift incantation, Donald aimed his wand and set the Green ribbon ablaze. Xemnas' smile disappeared and he looked over to the Heart-shaped moon looming above them.

Seconds passed as the remains of the Encoder machine became incinerated with Donald's magic, and in the blink of an eye, the combination of magic and science hit the great moon.

A flash. The first thing that happened was a flash of white light, quickly followed by an ear-splitting crack as Kingdom Hearts exploded. Xemnas watched in horror as his beloved project was massacred in front of him.

Sora had stopped to look, his mouth agape at the sight of the growing light emanating from the broken moon. Within seconds, that light had consumed every particle of Sora's vision as he fought to stand on his two feet.

_**XXXX**_

An explosion had just rocked Ansem's senses as he fought to open his eyes. He had no idea how much time had passed in between his injury and the foggy seconds that continued to whittle away.

He fought to move his body, which he could feel was sprawled out on the cold floor. The pain racking him from his stomach to his chest was intense and excruciating as any feeling from his waist down had been eliminated. The pressure of feeling nothing made him frightened, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move his body. He wanted so bad to scream from pain and fear, but he was unable to find any trace of his voice through the madness of his swirling thoughts and his current weakness. Breathing alone had become a chore as he fought for air, his lungs not answering to his silent cries to live.

"Ansem! Ansem wake up!"

The faint squeak of King Mickey's voice was welcome in Ansem's overtaxed mind. He could almost feel the shadows of several other people falling over him.

_**XXXX**_

"Ansem... He..."

"Don't blame yourself, Sora." Riku's voice tried to calm his best friend as Sora knelt next to the fallen king, keeping a trembling hand on Ansem's shoulder. Mickey was kneeling next to Sora, looking upon his injured friend in worry. His hand also shook as it loosely gripped Ansem's forearm.

Ansem lay on the floor, his shoulder-length blond hair was askew as some strands fell over his face, which had since turned cold and pale. His eyes were closed, but slight movement behind them proved that there was still life within his torn body.

His lower torso sported a large, terrifying hole. The clothing around it had been singed and tainted with burgundy blood.

Above the injured man, Riku kept a firm, comforting grip on Kairi's shoulder. The Princess of Heart shook, looking at the aftermath of Xemnas' power. A simple test of might had rendered a grown man helpless; bleeding and unresponsive to the cries of his name as those surrounding him fought to keep him alive.

Opposite the side of Ansem that Sora kneeled at, Donald held his wand at arms length as Goofy watched from behind, looking on in anxiety. Donald used what magic he could to seal the hole in Ansem's stomach. His face looked grim as he assessed the damage.

"Your majesty. I can heal the wound, but..." He squawked softly. Mickey looked to Donald.

"What is it Donald?" Mickey asked. Donald continued his healing, shaking his head.

From the ground, Ansem gasped and moaned, giving a series of hacking coughs that produced a small spray of blood. The band of warriors surrounding him looked on in worry as he attempted to catch his breath, but then smiled to see him stirring. He moved his head and tried to pry open his deep-set eyes.

"Ansem!" Sora cheered, watching the sage wake. Ansem's vision was blurred and dark, but as the Key-bearer eased forward, he could register the image of his brown, spiked hair and long face.

"... Sora..." Ansem managed to whisper, making the boy smile with relief. Next to Sora was the unmistakable image of King Mickey, his round head and ears were quickly noticeable. Ansem attempted a smile to his dear friend, but a sudden jab of pain quickly turned it into a grimace. He felt the agony fire up from the wound in his abdomen as he whimpered, baring his teeth in a snarl of pain.

Riku quickly kneeled next to Sora to place a hand on Ansem's shoulder as others offered words of comfort with him.

"Come on, Ansem. Stay with us." Riku urged, watching the sage shiver in pain. Next to him, Sora pleaded to Ansem, saying 'Hang on'.

Riku's appearance stunned the wounded king.

"R-Riku..." Ansem whispered as the attack subsided. He looked towards his ex-comrade and stared in awe at the boy. No longer did he share the image of Xehanort's Heartless, but instead, he had returned to his original, sixteen-year-old self. "You're..." Ansem was once again interrupted by a series of stinging pains that bit at his spine. A groan took place of words as Ansem reared his head, tears filling his tightly-closed eyes.

"Take it easy." Riku said seriously, "You're in no state to talk right now. Just rest, you're gonna be fine." Ansem took another couple of deep breaths and barely opened his eyes.

"You're you again." He choked. There was barely any energy left in him. Riku nodded, deciding to give the stubborn man an answer.

"It was the explosion." He said. Ansem, who vaguely remembered the great blast that had barely awoken him from his unconscious state, looked as Riku pointed to where Kingdom Hearts rested in the sky.

The sight was magnificent as a gigantic chunk had been removed from the center of the Great Heart. Shards of the great moon orbited the entity, making it look rather beautiful.

It was even more beautiful as this meant Xemnas' plans had been laid to waste.

"Incredible." Ansem whispered, finally resting his head back down onto the ground. He had just noticed Donald at his side, continuing to cure his wound. The sight comforted him, letting him know he was going to be all right. He inhaled suddenly and held back another grumble, which was full of curses, as his wound flared. He balled his fists tightly, not noticing his fingernails digging into his palms. He was thankful, though. His pain was lessening. This flare didn't have as much sting as it did just a few minutes ago. The group around him continued to keep vigil, making certain there weren't any more threats that could disrupt Ansem's healing.

Sora watched Ansem and waited for the attack to subside. Once Ansem's face had relaxed and he caught his breath, Sora spoke up.

"Ansem?" Ansem looked to the Key bearer tiredly as the boy looked to him in worry, "Thank you. You saved me and Kairi. If you hadn't pushed us out of the way in time, we'd probably be in big trouble."

"Only about as much trouble as me." Ansem whispered, smiling. Sora returned the smile with a nervous expression, "I'm sure you wouldn't be as hurt as I am. I'm no warrior."

"Is it bad?" Mickey asked Ansem, referring to the amount of pain Ansem was feeling at the moment. Ansem shook his head.

"I can thank Donald... I'm feeling better each minute." He smiled. His progress was slow, but Ansem could feel the wound knitting. Instead of cold jolts of adrenaline rushing to his head and arms, his body was becoming warmer and calmer. He almost felt like sleeping. He closed his eyes, allowing himself rest. Slowly, but surely, the burning pain of his wound was diminishing. Breathing had become much easier now. He didn't have to gasp for air like a fish out of water anymore.

But something bothered him. As long as his upper body was feeling better and better, his legs remained limp. He tried not to think about it as he sighed in the progressing release of pain. Eventually, strength returned to his upper body and, as he lay on the ground, he reached and smoothed back his unkempt, sunshine-colored hair. As he did, the team showed great relief.

Except for Donald. As his wand stopped glowing he returned his weapon to his side and appeared regretful.

"It's done." He said quietly, as though he didn't want to say it. Ansem assessed his body. His upper half felt fine.

His lower half was still numb.

Ansem's hand brushed the hole in his clothing where his wound had been. His fingers felt the skin of his now-healed stomach. The skin on his stomach didn't return a sensation.

The color in Ansem's face quickly drained.

"Donald?" He asked, "I can't- I can't feel my legs." Everyone's faces looked to Donald, who looked frustrated.

"I've healed everything I can. The blast severed part of your spine. Everything from the lower stomach down is dead."

Ansem felt his heart plummet as the small band was rendered speechless, a couple of them giving a gasp.

"Can't ya heal that too, Donald?" Goofy asked quickly. Donald shook his head.

"The damage is too severe. There's nothing I can do. I've healed the initial wound, but knitting bones and nerves and senses isn't my specialty."

Ansem felt his body shaking. Everything from his mid-abdomen up had turned cold and sick as he fought to sit up, ignoring the remnants of pain that circled his torso.

"I'm... Paralyzed?" He whispered, feeling Mickey put a hand on his shoulder as though to prop the king up. Donald nodded, answering his question. Ansem looked to his legs in horror as they lay on the ground, limp and unfeeling.

Sora had stood up and was now embracing Kairi as he shook, obviously distressed at the news, knowing it was possible that she or him could have been in that position had Ansem not intervened. Kairi stroked his hair, comforting the sickened boy.

Riku had taken Sora's place, kneeling next to Ansem and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ansem. We'll help you get out." He said. Ansem looked to Riku.

"There's no way." He shuddered, feeling his lower lip quiver under his blond moustache, "You can't fend of the Nobodies and carry my sorry self at the same time."

"We'll manage." Riku sternly replied, trying to find a way to comfort the man who'd caused him much frustration in the past.

Ansem couldn't take it in. It was like swallowing a pill two-times too big for his throat. He softly hyperventilated, feeling every last shred of independence crumble, like the withering moon of Kingdom Hearts in the sky.

Lowering his head, Ansem wanted to curl into a ball and hide, but his new handicap made it impossible. He turned to the band of warriors with uncertainty.

"You'd want to help me?" He asked.

Sora was the first to answer.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" He said bravely, with Kairi standing firmly beside him and nodding. Mickey looked to his friend and tried to smile.

"I'm not either. It took me too long to find you!" The mouse gave a hearty laugh. As always, his light shone bright in the face of adversity; it was a trait that was foreign to Ansem. Mickey could see this as the sage looked to him with fearful uncertainty, much like a child. His usually fiery eyes were beginning to mist with tears. "We will help." Mickey said softly, placing a hand on Ansem's shoulder.

Ansem didn't know why they would. After all, everything they were fighting against was his fault.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. He wished that Donald was wrong. He wanted so bad for his feeling to slowly begin returning; but nothing was coming back. It had been several minutes, but his legs were as useless now as they were that short time ago. "I only make things harder on you all."

"Hey, Ansem." Riku said, cutting through the gentle talk, "If you want to make things easier..." He began, sounding rather menacing as he looked the older man down, Ansem readied himself for any harsh words that were about to spill from Riku's lips, but was surprised when, in fact, Riku's tone became incredibly soft. "Then just once... Let someone help you."

Ansem looked to Riku as he pondered these words; and how true they were. For ten years, Ansem had only trusted himself. The cold reality of his beloved apprentices throwing him aside had turned him into such a pessimist that he only put all faith into himself. But even now, in these times in reflecting upon his actions, he was beginning to doubt himself.

He choked back any more tears that rimmed his eyes and gathered his bearings. For the first time in years, he abandoned his selfish pride and looked to the rag-tag group that had just saved his life, and were offering to do so one more time. As Sora leaned over, hand extended, he gave an encouraging smile.

"You don't have to ask, Ansem." Sora said. The boy opened his mouth to speak again, but Ansem heard a different; yet familiar voice.

_"We're here, but we can only help you if you let us."_

Ansem's heart stopped as he mouthed a name.

"Roxas?"

Sora smiled as he spoke one more time, the familiar voice radiating a sense of hope.

"_Apology accepted. Thank you, Ansem_"

**_XXXX_**

I started on this a long time ago. I never really like how Ansem's death was kind of an ignored topic. I didn't like the fact that he DIED. (I'm actually hoping he just got digitized. PLEASE NOMURA and Square, use your character resurrecting magic one day!) So here's an alternate take on that scene ^^

And, of course, all characters are (C) Square Enix and/or Disney


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